ERIE TOWNSHIP – For the next five weeks, shooters from around the world will come to Camp Perry to compete for the top honors in competitive pistol and rifle shooting.

Since 1907, the National Matches have been a Camp Perry tradition. They start Monday and last through Aug. 10.

“This is like the World Series of shooting,” said Christine Elder, communications manager for the Civilian Marksmanship Program. “This is probably one of the biggest events we have.”

The matches are a joint effort of the Civilian Marksmanship Program, the National Rifle Association and Ohio National Guard.

Camp Perry is a National Guard site and includes a variety of ranges for shooters, from police departments completing training to new shooters learning the sport at the marksmanship program.

During the matches, the huts and barracks will be filled with shooters, and there will be rows of vendors selling shooting gear. Range after range will be filled with competitive shooters, from those using pistols to those using high-powered rifles.

“We usually bring in about 6,000 competitors and their families,” Elder said.

They also stay in hotels, eat at restaurants, buy gas and shop locally while they’re here, said Larry Fletcher, Ottawa County Visitors Bureau executive director.

That adds up to an estimated $15 million to $20 million impact on the local economy, Fletcher said. That number is based on CMP’s estimate of participating shooters.

“It’s a significant number for sure,” he said. “Most people are coming from outside the area and will need overnight lodging for multiple days.”

He compared the event to the Biggest Week in American Birding, which brings thousands of birders in May to the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area and Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge each year.

During both events, some local lodging operations and businesses offer discounts specific to birders and shooters, he said.

The matches open Monday with the annual first-shot ceremony at 10 a.m.

The event will include appearances by two World War II bombers and other period equipment.

The keynote speaker will be Gary Anderson, emeritus director of Civilian Marksmanship, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who has seven world championships and 16 national championships.

“We’re going to have a good show on Monday, weather permitting,” Elder said.

Then CMP will dedicate its expanded competition center — named for Anderson — at 11 a.m. CMP built an addition to the center and added classrooms, a commons and registration area, Elder said.

The matches will start with pistol shooting and move into high-powered rifle competitions, the CMP vintage sniper match with vintage rifles and long-range shooting, she said.

CMP also will have free clinics and the CMP games, which is more of a fun, laid-back competition, during the matches, Elder said.

The National Rifle Association plans to have a rehearsal for its world championships match this year and expects to have the event next year at Camp Perry, Elder said.

mksmith@gannett.com

419-734-7521

Twitter: @kristinasmithNM

National Matches events

The first-shot ceremony is at 10 a.m. at the firing ranges at Camp Perry. At 11 a.m., the Civilian Marksmanship Program will dedicate its expanded Gary Anderson Competition Center. Throughout the matches, the Civilian Marksmanship Program will have free clinics. For a list of clinics or to register, visit www.thecmp.org.